El Rodeo

This well-​known Mexican restaurant offers typical fare in a slightly better than average setting. They have a full bar. Parking at this end of the strip shopping center is sometimes interesting, but it always works.

Once again proving they are the best Mexican restaurant in Anchorage!!! Highly recommend the new Molcajete

Ate here the other day for the first time. Food was meh, friendly customer service… BUT the thing that rubbed me the wrong was the fact you only get a single bowl of complimentary chips and salsa before those chips and salsa are… no longer on the house.
Now I don’t consider myself a miser by any means, but when I sit down at a Mexican restaurant I fully expect to enjoy bottomless chips and salsa.
What’s next? $ 1 tap waters?

I was really feeling some Mexican food, and saw this place had 4 stars, so, hey let’s try it.
The chips and salsa come out. The chips are from a bag, like obviously bagged tortilla chips. The salsa is from a jar. However, the salsa comes in mild and hot, and hot was surprisingly spicy and very flavorful.
At this point in the experience I’m thinking this place is on its way to 3 or 4 stars no problem, just due to the heat of the salsa.
I ordered a two beef enchilada lunch special, as this is my first order here, and I can tell a lot about a place by its beef enchiladas.
When the entrée arrived, like 4 minutes after I ordered it, everything screamed Sysco. The beans and rice had very familiar flavors, like I had already eaten them at 10 different bad Mexican restaurants in Texas.
The enchiladas were bland, the cheese was greasy, hello we have a Sysco Mexican food warming facility on Muldoon.
I was tempted to give 3 stars, until I saw how much they charged me for my Diet Pepsi. $ 2.75…Two Seventy-​Five!!! For a fountain drink? Are you kidding me?
That thing costs the restaurant 30 cents tops. That’s $ 2.45 pure profit on my soda. Let’s math… That’s 89% profit! That’[s also more than enough reason on top of the incredibly mediocre food that I will never go back.

At the end of a long drive across Canada in early August, from Atlanta to Anchorage, my first stop for lunch in Anchorage was at El Rodeo. Since then, this restaurant has been one of the «go-​to» places for my extended family’s relaxed casual dining, and drinks, after work. The couple who own and operate El Rodeo are very nice and always provide very good service. I especially enjoy restaurants where the owners are very accessible. The large menu is somewhat standard, but the food is consistently good. For drinkers, there is a new, huge, 22-​oz margarita, «El Gordo.» We have all tried it, at one time or another — always with a designated driver. If you’re in the mood for «Mexican» and you’re in the vicinity of the Glenn Highway and Muldoon Road, give this place a try!

I really enjoy coming here for lunch when it’s not so busy. The food is wonderful and they are very patient with my young son squealing and making a mess. The chips tasted old and I had to ask the waitress three time for a side of sour cream but those aren’t a deal breaker. I’ll definitely be back.

We went to this place tonight on the hunt for some good fajitas and we found them!!! Very clean and friendly place! The chips and salsa were killer too. A great dinner for sure!

Visiting from California and was in need of some good Mexican food (which undeniably didn’t think I was going to find). I must say the food here is pretty awesome, ordered the spicy green chile enchiladas and they were so good and authentic. Menu seemed legit lotta tasty items and reasonably priced, good drinks as well! I’d detonate lay recommend this place to anyone in search of good Mexican.

I had purchased a Groupon here and wish I hadn’t even spent that much. My server was obviously harried, took about 10 minutes to get (nonalcoholic) drinks, appetizer order forgotten, and no «check back» until most of us were finished with our meals. Mine sat mostly untouched, as the creamy chicken dish I ordered tasted like tuna fish. The server noticed I hadn’t eaten much and asked if I wanted a box, which of course I didn’t. Rather than ask if everything was okay, he merely took my plate and brought the bill. El Rodeo is down the street from my home and I adore Mexican food, so I was really hoping we’d get on! But alas, it is not to be.

Great service, family owned, clean and shows pride of ownership. Love the chips and salsa, spicy has a great zing and chips are always fresh hot and crisp. Basic cheese enchiladas, beans & Rice for me, but it is better than most. No greasy oily cheese. I’ll take El Rodeo over any Mexican food over any other in Anchorage. Oh did I mention I ate at 7:30pm at night and my food was hot, fresh, and on the table in 7 minutes! Wow!

My favorite Mexican food restaurant in Anchorage by far! Owners and staff are all very friendly and always make you feel welcome and taken care of. Food is delicious and prices are great. El Rodeo is always my family’s go to place when we want a comfortable and relaxing dinner out!

Amazing Mexican food! I am from California but travel all over the country for work and this is by far the best Mexican food I’ve had outside the Mexican border states. The servise is also very fast and waiting staff is very friendly

Smells like my grandpas kitchen and food is authentic.
Wish they would open another restaraunt near midtown! I love this place, but clear across town. The two times I ate here, loved it, love mexican food, and have it a lot, but can’t drive out to Muldoon all time.

Came here based on the recommendation of a friend and good Unilocal reviews. Have to say we were dissatisfied.
My margarita tasted like a mix, my brothers mojito was terrible. Chips and salsa were good, hard to mess those up. There were four of us. We ordered four different meals, none were very good. Not a bomb, but nothing I’d come back for either. Bit pricey for what we got as well.

I’ve been coming to this place for YEARS! It is hands down my favorite place to eat. The food is delicious and the service is almost always lightning quick. Best place for margaritas and mexican food, in my opinion. I’ve ordered just about everything on the menu at this point and I haven’t found one thing I don’t like. Yum!

Wow, what a hidden gem! I have lived on the East side of Anchorage since 1982 and this is my first time here.
I am pretty simple when it comes to Mexican food. I order the same thing no matter where I go, 2 crunchy tacos with rice and beans. El Rodeo did not disappoint.
I had stayed away from the restaurant thinking it would be old and musky like the places around it. I was shocked to find that it was very modern, clean, warm, and inviting.
Everyone was friendly and service was quick. Sure the meal is $ 2 more than Burrito King, but getting chips and salsa, a menu, and the ambiance of Mexican music in the background as well as the option to order a margarita. Was more than worth it. Great Job El Rodeo!

Great authentic food, clean restaurant, and friendly personable staff!
Three words — CUCUMBER JALAPEÑO MARGARITA!

It has only been so so for the last year or so, something is definitely going downhill. We don’t go here anymore for this reason, such a bummer. Food just isn’t good anymore.

What can I say about this amazing gem of a restaurant? If rooms were available for rent in the back… I’d live here :)
If it’s on the menu… It’s good food! Try the Chicken Chipotle or the Pollo Fundito or the Fajita’s.
Anything you pick will be sure to please even the most discerning taste buds. Whichever of these tastey delights you choose, be sure to wash it down with any of their amazing drinks… I recommend the Strong Island Ice Tea!!!

This restaurant is efficient, consistent and their food is delicious. We go here sometimes for lunch and have their buffet. The staff is always very courteous and friendly. I’ve also eaten here for dinner and it was excellent. It’s one of my favorite establishments here on this side of town.